INTRODUCTION:
1. Jesus Christ is the most astonishing and unique character who ever
lived.
(a) His life was prophesied by the ancients, verified by history, certified by the Bible, and attested by His disciples.
(b) The influence of his life has touched and inspired multiplied millions since He lived, and no one has ever exerted the extensive
influence as He has.
(c) Christ must be reckoned with as a superb evidence of divine things,
for He cannot be ignored.
2. Christ is Himself one of the most powerful and undeniable evidences
of the divine in the world.
(a) Who Christ was, and what He does for man is the central theme of the
New Testament.
(b) Christ was the visible manifestation of God-concrete proof to
humanity that God exists.
(c) If we accept the Bible as the inspired Word of God, we must accept
its testimony that Christ is the Son of God.
(d) No more thorough attempt is made in the Bible to establish anything
than the abundant testimony it presents of the matter of the deity of
Jesus Christ.
(e) The deity of Jesus is the most crucial issue of the Christian
religion, for if this premise is false so is the whole structure of
Christianity.
I. DID JESUS CHRIST REALLY LIVE?
1. This is an issue that may appear superfluous, for few would assert
that He did not live.
(a) No matter is established with greater historical certainty than that
Christ really lived.
(b) It is established also that He lived at the very time, place, and
under the very circumstances witnessed by the gospel records.
(c) Unlike the founders of mythical religious, Christ was a real person,
and all historical evidence supports this fact.
2. The most reliable history of the period in which Christ lived gives
unmistakable evidence of His earthly life.
(a) Flavius Josephus (A.D. 37-103) testified that Jesus lived, that he
was a wise man, that performed many wonderful works, he was the Christ,
he was crucified on the cross by Pilate, he appeared to the apostles
alive again the third day, that the prophets had foretold “ten thousand
wonderful things concerning him,” and that Christians were His followers
and existed until that day (History of the Jews, Josephus, III:626)
(b) Tacitus (A.D. 56-117), who wrote a thorough account of the
persecution of Christians under Nero added: “The author of this name was
Christ, who in the reign of Tiberius, was brought to punishment by
Pontius Pilate the procurator.” (Ibid., pp. 616-627)
(c) In addition to these secular historians is the witness of a great
number of religious writers of the first centuries such as Clement of
Rome (A.D. 30-100). Polycarp (A.D. 65-155), Ignatius (A.D. 30-107),
Tatian (A.D. 110-172), Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 153-217), Tertullian
(A.D. 145-200), Origin (A.D. 185-254), and a host of others, add volumes
of testimony of the life of Christ.
(d) The testimony of history, sacred and secular, is that Christ lived.
That He lived is a historical fact that cannot be ignored or dismissed
without due consideration.
II. MIRACLES ATTESTING THE DEITY OF JESUS:
1. The first type of proof that this Jesus, whom history testifies did
live, was more than a man, is supernatural proof-miracles performed
expressly for this purpose.
(a) Of the three dozen or so specific recorded in the New Testament,
some of the more extraordinary ones were wrought expressly to witness the
deity of Jesus.
(b) These miracle involve God, the Spirit, angels, and human witnesses
of the highest character.
(c) Let us examine these six types of miraculous attestation of the
deity of Jesus.
2. The phenomena of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, and
their precise fulfillment in Christ.
(a) As an example, prophecies concerning His lineage predicted He would
be: the seed of woman (Gen. 3:15; Gal. 4:4). The seed of Abraham (Gen.
17:7; 22:18; Gal. 3:16), the seed of Isaac (Gen. 21:2; Heb. 11:17-19),
and the seed of David (Psm 132:11; Jer. 23:5; Acts 13:23; Rom. 1:3).
(b) There are scores of other prophecies which are just as precisely
fulfilled in Christ, and their number is sufficiently large as to rule
out coincidence.
3. Signs at His birth.
(a) the birth of Christ was announced to the virgin Mary by the angel
Gabriel. (Luke 1:26-35).
(b) An angel appeared to Joseph to forbid him to divorce Mary, when he
discovered her pregnancy. (Matt. 1:18-24)
(c) the star guided the wise men form the east to worship the Lord at
His birth. (Matt. 2:1-2)
(d) An angel appeared to the shepherds of Judea to announce the birth of
Christ. (Luke 2:8-11)
(e) The angelic chorus appeared to sing and praise God at the birth of
Christ. (Luke 2:13-15)
(f) Angel directed Joseph to return from Egypt after Herod’s death.
(Matt. 2:19-21)
4. Signs at His baptism.
(a) At the baptism of Christ, the Spirit descended upon Him in the form
of a dove, and God confessed that Christ was His Son. (Matt. 3:13-17)
5. Signs at His temptation.
(a) When he tempted Christ, Satan twice acknowledged His supernatural
powers. (Matt. 4:3, 5-6)
(b) After the temptation, angels ministered to Christ. (Matt. 4:11)
6. At His transfiguration the Lord’s form was changed, and He was bathed
in celestial glory. (Matt. 17:2)
(a) Appearing with Christ were Moses and Elijah, and they conversed with
Him. (Matt, 17:3)
(b) God spoke to the disciples to again confirm the divine Sonship of
Christ. (Matt. 17:5)
(c) Peter testified that he heard the voice of God on the mount of
transfiguration. (2 Peter 1:17-18)
7. Jesus performed miracles to prove His deity.
(a) There is recorded some thirty-vie miracles performed by Christ
during His personal ministry.
(b) His first miracle, at Cana of Galilee, “manifest his glory; and his
disciples believed on him.” (John 2:11)
(c) “Many believed on his name, beholding the signs which he did.”
(John 2:23)
(d) Christ affirmed that his works were to bear witness of him, and that
He was sent of God. (John 5:36)
(e) The miracles Christ performed are recorded to attest Him to be the
Son of God. (John 20:30-31)
8. Signs wrought at His death.
(a) Jesus predicted to the Jews, “When ye have lifted up the Son of man,
then shall ye know that I am he..” (John 8:28)
(b) En route to Jerusalem, Jesus predicted His arrest, trial, death, and
resurrection. (Mark 10:33=34)
(c) Jesus predicted that one of the disciples would betray Him. (Matt.
26:21-25)
(d) After His crucifixion, darkness shrouded the earth for three hours.
(Matt. 27:45)
(e) When Christ died, the veil of the temple was rent, there occurred a
violent earthquake, tombs were opened, and many saints were resurrected
and appeared before many in Jerusalem. (Matt. 27:51-53)
(f) These signs convinced the unbelieving centurion and others that
“truly this was the Son of God.” (Matt. 27:54)
9. Signs at His resurrection.
(a) While His tomb was sealed and carefully guarded, on the morning of
the third day there was a “great earthquake,” and an angel rolled the
stone away. (Matt. 28:2)
(b) Seeing the angel and his splendor, the guards at the tomb were
paralyzed with fear. (Matt. 28:4)
(c) The angel informed the two Marys that Christ was arisen, and ordered
them to spread this news. (Matt. 28:5-7)
(d) Peter and John ran to the tomb to investigate, and found it empty,
with the burial linen left as mute evidence of the resurrection. (John
20:6-8)
(e) Jesus appeared to the disciples on six different recorded occasions
after His resurrection. (Matt. 28:16-29; Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:44-53;
John 20:19-25, 26-29; 21:1-24)
(f) Paul testified that Christ appeared to over five hundred disciples
at one time, most of whom were still living at the time Paul wrote. (I
Cor. 15:6)
(g) The Lord presented physical evidence to Thomas of His resurrection.
(John 20:24-28)
10. Signs at His ascension.
(a) After giving the disciples the great commission, Christ ascended
into heaven. (Luke 24:50-51)
(b) He charged the apostles to remain in Jerusalem to receive the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:4-8)
(c) As the apostles witnessed His ascension, two angels appeared to
comfort them and announce His return. (Acts 1:10-11)
III. THE DEITY OF JESUS PROVED BY HIS CHARACTER:
In his splendid book, Protestant Christian Evidences, Bernard Ramm asked
the question, “If God became incarnate, what kind of man would He be?”
He answered with the following:
1. If God became man we would expect His human life to be sinless, since
it is inconceivable that God could sin.
(a) Jesus fulfilled this expectation in that He lived completely above
sin. (John 8:46; 2 Cor. 5:21; I Peter 2:22)
(b) In that Christ possessed perfect moral purity, He is never seen to
admit the need of penitence, and never confessed himself to be guilty of
sin.
2. If God became man, being sinless, we would expect Him to be holy in
character.
(a) Not only would there be an absence of sin in His life, but there
would be in Him a superb degree of holiness.
(b) To Christians one of the strongest proofs that Jesus was God
incarnate is the life of perfect holiness He lived. (Luke 1:35; Acts
4:27; Rev. 3:7)
3. If God became man it would be expected that His words be the greatest
ever spoken.
(a) The teachings of Christ are the greatest in the annals of human
literature, and He is lauded even by unbelievers as the “Master Teacher.”
(b) His teachings in the gospels are read more, quoted more, translated
into more languages, loved more, believed more, are represented in more
art, and set to more music than the words of any other person.
(c) So masterfully did Jesus speak that His enemies acclaimed, “Never
man spake like this man.
(John 7:46)
4. If God became man it would be expected that He exert tremendous
influence over human minds.
(a) Few men possess such dynamic personalities that they exert a great
influence at all, but the influence of Christ has been greater than that
of any person who ever lived.
(b) “Whether Jesus be man or God, whether the gospels be mainly fiction
or fancy, certainly a historic person named Jesus gave certain men such
an impact as to be unequalled by far in the entire annals of human
history.”
(c) At His bidding one would gladly forsake all to follow Him; or
betraying Him, one was so stricken with remorse that he committed
suicide.
(d) His influence is undimmed by time, and now, 2,000 years later,
multiplied millions still gladly leave all to follow Christ.
5. If God became man it would be expected that He would perform
supernatural deeds.
(a) This He would do because He would possess power to do so, and also
to prove His supernatural nature.
(b) The life of Christ is a constant illustration of the supernatural in
Him: His supernatural birth, protection by hosts of angels, His
supernatural knowledge, His supernatural deeds, His supernatural death,
His supernatural resurrection, and His supernatural ascension.
(c) Jesus performed many miracles during His earthly career, and many
more than is recorded. (John 20:30)
(d) While reviewing the supernatualness of Christ, we, like Nicodemus,
are compelled to confess: “For no other man can do these miracles thou
doest, except God be with him.” (John 3:2)
6. If God became men it would be expected that He manifest incomparable
love for humanity. (I John 4:7)
(a) Jesus must necessarily demonstrate that love in a way no other
person ever had to do so.
(b) His life amply demonstrated that He was the friend of sinners; a
refuge for the downcast, the poor, the despised, the broken-hearted; and
in His attitude He was gentle, tender, sympathetic, loving, and kind.
(c) The supremem example of His love was in His death for us.(John
15:13; Gal. 2:20; I John 3:16)
7. If God became man it would be expected that He be the most divine,
unique, and incomparable person who ever lived.
(a) That Christ is the most incomparable person who ever lived is
affirmed by atheists, infidels, and unbelievers who impartially appraise
His character.
(b) If Christ were God there would be no questions that He would be the
greatest one of all history, and that He is truly divine.
(c) While Christ was reared in an illiterate province, attended no
school, acquired no wealth, held no office, was of insignificant
parentage, followed an humble trade, yet He is accepted by the most
scholarly, wealthy, powerful and influential as being truly the Son of
God.
IV. THE SUPERNATURAL ASPECTS OF CHRIST:
1. Jesus was the subject of a considerable volume of Old Testament
prophecies, and they are precisely fulfilled in Him.
(a) In its very nature prophecy is supernatural, being the revelation of
divine wisdom.
(b) If Christ is seen to be the subject and fulfillment of such
prophecies, then He is the subject discussed by divine wisdom.
(c) Every Old Testament prophet from Moses to Malachi paints a prophetic
portrait of the coming Redeemer, and the inspired New Testament prophets
unanimously declare Christ to be that Messiah.
(d) Since the Old Testament prophets were able to describe Christ, who
was born centuries after, this proves the inspired nature of their
prophecies, and it also proves the deity of Him who so accurately
fulfilled them.
(e) The prophets could not have known the intimate details of the life
of Christ without inspiration, and Christ could not have fulfilled them
unless He were the Messiah.
(f) A thorough study of the great volume of prophecies relating to
Christ attests that He is the fulfillment of them.
2. The pre-existence of Christ demands that He be of a divine nature.
(a) The Bible repeatedly affirms that Christ existed as deity prior to
his earthly advent, and such pre-existence would be impossible were He
not divine in nature.
(b) The One born in Bethlehem was one “whose goings forth have been from
old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2)
(c) Jesus existed from “the beginning,” was God, created all things,
made in the world, was made flesh, came down from heaven, and was the
only begotten of the Father. (John 1:1-14)
(d) Jesus existed before Abraham, who lived over 1900 years before
Christ was born. (John 8:56-58)
(e) Christ shared glory with God before the world was. (John 17:5)
(f) The Lord existed before all things, all things were created by Him,
and He sustains all things. (Col. 1:16-17)
(g) John testified he had heard, seen, and handled Him Who was from the
beginning. (I John 1:1)
(h) Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the
first and the last of all things. (Rev. 22:13)
(i) Prior to the Lord’s earthly advent He existed in the form of God,
and was equal to God. (Phil. 2:6) The word in this text for “being” is
a word always involving a pre-existent state-the present participle of
huparcho. The word “form” means essence or intrinsic qualities. He was,
then, the essence of God.
3. The incarnation of Christ affirms His deity, for the Bible represents
Him as divine-human person.
(a) The Lord surrendered His riches for poverty, that we may become
rich. (2 Cor 8:9)
(b) The Son of God was born a woman that He might be our Redeemer. (Gal.
4:4)
(c) Though born of woman, as all men, yet Christ descended from heaven.
(John 3:13; 6:38; Eph. 8:23) He was the divine Word become flesh. (John
1:14)
(d) The incarnation was a necessity to the Lord’s high priestly office.
(Heb. 2:14, 17)
(e) “The days of his flesh” contemplates a phase of the existence of
Christ, and infers a prior one. (Heb. 5:7)
(f) Though in the flesh Christ was divine, for the fullness of the
Godhead dwelt in him bodily. (Col. 1:19; 2:9)
(g) Though possessing a mortal body, Christ was “the great God.” (Titus
2:13)
(h) One of the great mysteries of redemption is that “God was manifest
in the flesh.” (I Tim. 3:16)
4. The virgin birth of Christ affords another proof of his divine
nature.
(a) The Bible teaches that Christ was miraculously begotten by the
Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary.
(b) If the Bible account of the virgin birth is untrue, then the Bible
is not trustworthy, and consequently it is not the infallible, inspired
Word of God.
(c) Jesus stated that the Scriptures are “they that testify of me: (John
5:39), but if the Scriptures concerning the virgin birth are untrue
either they are false or Christ is an impostor.
(d) If the Bible is regarded as reliable in its accounts of the
character of Christ, His sinless life, His masterful teaching, or the
transcendency of His spiritual principles, why is it unreliable in the
matter of His virgin birth?
(e) The issue of the virgin birth is frequently assailed by modernists
and infidels, but this miracle is no more incredible than any other
supernatural aspects of Christ.
(f) If the rejection of the virgin birth leads us to a denial of the
authority of the Bible, then the Christian religion would be robbed both
of its supernatural Christ and its supernatural Book.
(g) Machen asked, “How, except by the virgin birth, could our Savior
have lived a complete human life from the mother’s womb, and yet have
been from the very beginning no product of what had gone before, but a
supernatural Person come into the world from the outside to redeem the
sinful race?” (The Virgin Birth of Christ, Machen, p. 395)
(h) The prophet Isaiah predicted that Christ would be born of a virgin.
(Isaiah 7:14)
(i) Before there had been a physical union between Joseph and Mary, the
virgin conceived, and an angel appeared to Joseph to inform him not to
divorce Mary in that she was conceived by the Holy Spirit. (Matt.
1:18-20)
(j) In his address to Joseph, the angel explained that this was the
fulfillment of prophecy. (Matt. 1:21-25)
(k) The angel Gabriel was sent from God to Mary to assure her that she
would conceive as an act of God. (Luke 1:26-31)
(l) Mary could not understand how this could be, since she affirmed her
virginity, but Gabriel assured her that her conception was by the Spirit.
(Luke 1:34-35)
(m) The virgin birth, then, was predicted by the inspired prophet
Isaiah, announced by angels, wrought by the will of God, effected by the
Spirit, and recorded by inspiration.
5. The miracles Christ performed were wrought to certify His deity.
(a) The miracles Jesus performed verified the fact that He possessed
supernatural power, for His miracles were supernatural in character.
(b) The cardinal points of Christianity involve the supernatural: a
supernatural God, a supernatural Lord, a supernatural Spirit, a
supernatural salvation, a supernatural Book and a supernatural hope.
(c) The fundamental faith in a supreme Being requires belief in the
supernatural. One has expressed: “Once believe that there is a God, and
miracles are not incredible.”
(d) To reject Biblical miracles is to deny the integrity of the Bible,
since it records a great number of them.
(e) To deny the miracles of Christ would be to claim He either could not
or did not perform them, and to contend that the miracles attributed to
Him were spurious or illusions would be to charge Him with deceit.
(f) His contemporaries charged that Jesus was guilty of false teaching,
and made false claims, but none of them ever charged Him with performing
spurious miracles.
(g) The New Testament attributes some 35 miracles to Christ, and
testifies that He performed many more which were not recorded (John
20:30)
(h) Jesus claimed the works He did were done by the authority of God,
and bore witness of Him. (John 10:25) But if the miracles of Christ
were not genuine, then we must accept a false witness of Him.
(i) Jesus stated that God empowered His work, and if God did not work
miracles through Him either God perpetrated false miracles or was not
with Christ. (John 5:19, 30)
(j) So genuine were the miracles of Christ that even His fiercest
enemies acknowledged them. (John 11:47)
6. The resurrection of Jesus proves He is divine.
(a) The resurrection of Christ was foretold by Old Testament prophets.
(Psalms 16:10; Isaiah 26:19; Acts 13:34-35)
(b) Jesus Himself also prophesied His own resurrection. (Matt. 20:19;
Mark 9:9; 14:28; John 2:19-22)
(c) The closest associates of Christ did not understand that He would be
resurrected (Mark 9:10; John 20:9), and did not believe it at first after
occurred. (Mark 16:13; Luke 24:9-11, 37-38)
(d) The enemies of Christ used every practical means to prevent anything
happening to the body. (Matt. 27:62-66)
(e) Christ made twelve different post-resurrection appearances to
persons numbering over five hundred. (Mark 16:0; Matt. 28:9; Luke
24:13-31; 24:34; John 20:19, 24; 20:26; 21:1; Matt. 28:16-17; I Cor.
15:6-7)
(f) The enemies of Christ gave fraudulent testimony as to what happened
to Hid body. (Matt. 28:11-15)
(g) No sincere, authentic testimony was ever produced to disprove the
resurrection.
(h) His resurrection was attested by angels (Matt. 28:5-7), the
apostles (Acts 1:22; 2:32), and confirmed by the Lord Himself (Luke
24:35, 39, 43; Acts 1:3)
(i) So vital is the resurrection to Christianity that the salvation and
hope of Christians depend upon it. (I Cor. 15:14=19; I Peter 1:3, 21)
(j) God raised Christ from the dead (Acts 17:31), and the resurrection
is proof that Christ is the Son of God. (Psalms 2:7; Acts 13:33-36;
Romans 1:4)
7. The ascension of Christ affirms His deity.
(a) The ascension of Christ was foretold by Old Testament prophets.
(Psalsms 24:7; 66:18; Eph 4:7-8)
(b) Jesus also foretold His ascension. (John 6:62; 7:33; 14:2-3; 14:28;
16:5; 20:17)
(c) Jesus ascended to a position of supremem authority by the power of
God. (Eph. 1:20-21; I Peter 3:22)
(d) The ascension of Christ was witnessed by the apostles, and to this
fact they testified. (Acts 1:9; 2:32-33; I Peter 3:22)
(e) At His ascension angels assured that this event was a guarantee of
His return. (Acts 1:11)
8. Jesus affirmed His deity by the supernatural claims which He mad for
Himself.
(a) Jesus claimed to possess all authority in heaven and on earth.
(Matt. 28:180
(b) He asserted authority for Himself above the authority of the
Scriptures. (Matt. 5:27-28)
(c) He claimed identity with God (John 10:30), and to b a manifestation
of God (John 14:9).
(d) He professed that no one has access to God except through Him.
(John 14:6)
(e) He claimed to have been existent with the Father from all eternity.
(John 17:5)
(f) He claimed that His words were the means of obtaining everlasting
life. (John 5:24)
(g) He claimed that He alone could offer salvation. (John 6:54-55)
(h) He contended that belief in the fact that He is the Son of God is
essential to salvation. (John 8:24)
(i) He affirmed that His word would be the basis of judgment of the
world. (John 12:48; Matt. 25:31-46)
(j) He claimed that when He departed from this life that He was to
return to God. (John 14:1-3)
(k) He asserted that He possessed authority to direct the Holy Spirit in
the process of revelation. (John 16:7-14)
(l) He claimed that He possessed the power to raise the dead. (John
5:28-29)
(m) He claimed to have come down from heaven. (John 6:38)
(n) He made the claim of being morally perfect. (John 8:46)
(o) He claimed that He would be resurrected in three days after His
death. (John 2:19-21)
9. The attributes possessed by Christ are ones only a divine person
could have possessed.
(a) He is eternal in nature. (Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1; Rev. 1:8)
(b) He is omnipresent. (Matt. 18:20; 28:20)
(c) He is omnipotent. (Psalms 45:3; Phil. 3:21; Rev. 1:8)
(d) He possesses the power to discern the thoughts of the heart. (I
Kings 8:39 cf. Luke 5:22; Ezek. 11:5 cf. John 2:24-25)
(e) He is co-owner with the Father of all things. (John 16:15)
(f) He is a source of grace equal to that of the Father. (I Thess.
(g) He is equally unsearchable with the Father. (Prov. 30:4; Matt.
11:27)
(h) He possessed the fullness of the Godhead. (Col. 2:9; Heb.
10. The offices held by Christ could only be held by a divine person.
(a) He occupies a place of pre-eminence above all things that none but
deity could hold. (Matt. 11:27; Luke 20:41-44; John 3:31; Acts 10:36;
Rom. 14:9; Eph. 1:20-21; Phil. 2:9-10; Col. 1:15-18; Heb. 1:4-6; I Peter
3:22)
(b) He is vested with authority that none but a divine person can
possess. (Matt. 28:18; 17:5; John 12:48; Eph. 1:20-21; I Peter 1:22)
(c) As only a divine person can be, Christ is the object of worship.
(Matt. 14:33; 15:21-25; Luke 24:50-52; John 5:23; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 5:13)
(d) Christ occupies the supreme office in the church, being its head.
(Matt. 21:42; Eph. 1:22; 4:12, 15; 5:23)
(e) The Lord occupies the supreme position in the kingdom, being its
King. (John 18:37; Col. 1:13; Rev. 15:3; Luke 22:29-30; I Tim. 6:15;
Rev. 1:5; 17:14; 19:16)
(f) In God’s spiritual temple, Christ serves as our great High Priest.
(Heb. 3:1; 5:4-5; 9:12)
(g) The Lord intercedes to God for sinners, serving as their Mediator
and Advocate. (Heb. 9:15; 12:24; I Tim. 2:5; I John 2:1)
11. Who Christ is can be explained on no other ground than that He is
divine.
(a) In the Christian religion, He is the Author and Finisher of our
faith. (Heb. 2?2)
(b) He is the Bread of life. (John 6:35, 48)
(c) In leading us in spiritual conflicts, He is the Captain of our
salvation. (Heb. 2:10)
(d) He is the Chief Corner Stone in the spiritual temple of God. (Eph.
2:20; I Peter 2:6)
(e) To minister to God for us, He is our great High Priest. (Heb. 4:14)
(f) Presiding over the affairs of the church, He is its sovereign head.
(Col. 1:18)
(g) As the perfect sacrifice for sin, He is our Lamb. (John 1:29; Rev.
5:6, 12; 13:8; 21:22)
(h) in reverence to salvation, He is the Messiah. (John 1:41)
(i) As the One from whom spiritual life is derived, He is the Prince of
Life. (Acts 3:15)
(j) He is the ransom for our sins. (I Tim. 2:6)
(k) That through Him we may have immortality, He is the Resurrection and
the Life. (John 11:25)
(l) Through Him salvation is obtained, since He is the Savior. (2 Peter
2:20; 3:18)
(m) That He may lead us back to God, He is the Shepherd and the Bishop
of our souls. (I Peter 2:25)
12. What Christ does for us is what none but a divine person can do.
(a) He saves us from our sins. (Matt. 1:21; Luke 2:11; John 4:42; Acts
5:31; Eph. 5:23; Titus 1:4; Rom. 3:24-25)
(b) He offers spiritual life to those who come to Him. (John 5:4; 6:35,
48; 8:12; 11:25; 14:6; 30:31; Col. 3:4)
(c) Christ is our redemption, atonement, propitiation, and He suffered
vicariously for our sins. (Rom. 3:25-25; Eph. 1:7; I Cor. 1:30; Heb.
9:12; 2 Cor. 5:21; I Peter 2:24)
(d) The blood of Christ is the divinely appointed saving agent. (Matt.
26:28; John 6:53-54; Col. 1:20; Heb. 9:14, 20, 22; 10:19; 13:11; I Pet.
1:2; I John 1:7; Rev. 1:5; 5:9; 7:14; 12:11; Eph. 2:13; I Pet. 1:19; Rom.
3:25; Eph. 1:7)
(e) Through Christ is forgiveness of sins obtained. (Acts 5:31; 13:8;
26:18; Eph. 1:7; Matt. 9:2; Mark 2:5, 9)
(f) Through Christ is obtained eternal life and hope. (John 3:15-16;
6:54; 10;28; 17:2; Rom. 6:23; Titus 3:5-7; I John 2:24-25; 5:11-13; I
Cor. 15:19; I Tim. 1:1; Heb. 7:19; 2 Tim. 4:6-8
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. {11} Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 
Proud to be TJ's man 